Highway picket and reflective marker



June 4, 1963 R' BYRD 3,091,997

HIGHWAY PICKET AND REFLECTIVE MARKER Filed Jan. 19, 1.960

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig-5 Ray H. Byrd 2/4 1, 2 2 INVENTOR.

2/4 ova paw 19m June 4, 1963 Filed Jan. 19, 1960 R. H. BYRD HIGHWAYPICKET AND REFLECTIVE MARKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 302 Fig. 7

Roy H. Byrd 1N VENTOR.

BY ram 5 mm; 19m

United States Patent 3,091,997 HIGHWAY PICKET AND REFLECTIVE MARKER RayH. Byrd, 2746 Parkridge, Shreveport, La. Filed Jan. 19, 1960, Ser. No.3,360 8 Claims. (Cl. 941.5)

This invention comprises a novel and useful highway picket andreflective marker and constitutes a continuationin-part of my priorco-pending application Serial No. 738,- 190, filed May 27, 1958, forHighway Picket, and now abandoned.

It is often desirable to clearly mark or delineate certain sections of ahighway and in such an unmistakable manner that it is virtuallyimpossible for a motorist to stray from the desired lane or area. It isalso frequently desirable to similarly mark aircraft runways and thelike. However, no matter how well marked, if the marking is accomplishedsolely by paint, reflectors or the like placed on the highway surface,the motorist may, if he so chooses, disregard such markings withimpunity. If, however, picket or marking devices are utilized which havea substantial vertical projection above the surface, so that themotorist must actually run into such picket if he disre gards thewarning of the same, it is much less chance that the motorist willeither intentionally or inadvertently disregard such markers. It istherefore a primary object of this invention to provide a marking deviceor picket for highways and the like which shall include a substantialvertical projection which, although it will not present a hazard to thevehicle, will nevertheless act as a deterrent for the motorist or othersdisregarding the marking.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved marking andreflecting device so constructed and arranged as to be readily andquickly permanently anchored to the highway.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved markingdevice provided with means for quickly and easily permanently fixing thesame to a highway and including a removable top section carrying thevertically projecting picket or marker so that the same may be readilyreplaced if necessary.

A further important object of this invention is to provide an improvedmarking device including a permanent base portion having means foranchoring the same to a roadway or other surface, a removable baseconnectible to the permanent base and a removable and verticallyelongated marker, picket, or light reflective element.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved highwaymarking device in accordance with the preceding objects wherein themarker or picket is in the form of a vertically elongated rod offlexible resilient material such as rubber or the like.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved highwaymarking device of the character set forth in the preceding objectswherein the picket or marker is readily adapted for coating withluminous paint or the like so as to provide an easily detectable markingdevice even at night.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved highwaymarking device of the character described above wherein the top sectionis quickly and easily removed and replaced with respect to the basesection thereof.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of still another form of the invention;

3,091,997. Patented June 4, 1963 FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of theembodiment of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view in vertical transverse section taken upon an enlargedscale substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 19-419of FIGURE 2 with parts broken away and showing the manner in which theupstanding marker or picket is secured by a removable base to thepermanent base of the device;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view, parts being broken away, ofthe marker, removable base and permanent base portions of the device ofthis form of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken substantially uponthe plane indicated by the section line 21-21 of FIGURE 4 and showingthe configuration of the anchoring stem portion of the permanent markercomponent of the device of this form of the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a still further form of the invention;

:FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view taken upon an enlarged scalesubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2323 ofFIGURE 6, with parts being broken away; and

FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view, parts being broken away, andsh'owing the removable picket, the components of the removable base andthe permanent base component of this form of the device.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 1-5 the marker device includes a permanentbase member indicated generaL ly by the numeral 200, a removable basemember detachably associated therewith as indicated by the numeral 202and a removable picket or marker assembly generally indicated by thenumeral 204. It will be observed that the base assembly 20!] consists ofa flat plate-like member as at 206 having an upstanding generallyconical flange or rim 208 together with upwardly projecting internallythreaded bosses each shown by the numeral 210. Extending axiallydownwardly from the member 206 is an anchor member 212 in the form of adownwardly tapering stern which as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 is providedwith radially projecting ribs 214 by means of which the same may beanchored in a suitable manner in the paving 220. Thus, the base member200 is permanently secured upon the paving or other surface 220, beingprevented from rotation by the radially longitudinally extending ribs214 thereon.

As shown in FIGURES 4 and 3, the picket or marker 204 consists of anelongated upwardly extending body 222 which is preferably of rubber orother resilient material and which is generally tapering, by increasingin diameter from its upper end to its' lower end. At its lower end thepicket is provided with an annular enlarged plate-like flange 224 whichis provided with suitable apertures 226 therein for the reception offastening screws 228 which are engaged in the bosses 210 and throughcorresponding apertures 230 in the removable base 202. This lattermember likewise consists of a plate-like element as at 232 from whichdepends a conical flange 234 receivable over the peripheral surface ofthe conical flange 208 of the permanent base member 200.

It will be observed that the picket member 222 is triangular incross-section, having a plurality of radially projecting longitudinallyextending ribs as at 236 and corresponding slots 238 are provided in themember 232 of the removable base 202 for receiving the vertical portionof the picket 204 therethrough and thus preventing rotation of thepicket relative to the removable base member 202.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the member 224 of the component 204 is providedwith a peripheral depending annular ring as at 240 which is adapted torest uponthe top surface of the member 206 and to be compressed 3between this top surface and the underside of the member 232 when thescrews or fasteners 238 are tightened. Thus a tight resilient connectionis established between the three components of this assembly.

A still further embodiment is illustrated in FIGURES 6-8. In thislast-mentioned arrangement there is likewise provided a permanent basecomponent indicated genermly at 250, a removable base componentindicated generally at 252 and an upstanding picket or marker componentindicated at 254. These members are attachably connected together in themanner to be now de scribed.

The permanent base component 254 includes a fiat plate-like annularupper member 256 which is adapted to rest upon the surface of the paving258 or the like,

and which is provided with an upstanding annular peripheral rim 260having a conical exterior surface. Depending axially from the member 256is a stem or anchor member 262 which as shown has radially ordiametrically projecting ribs 264 therefrom so that when this member isembedded in the pavement rotation of the same is effectively prevented.

As in the immediately preceding embodiment a pinrality of internallythreaded tubular bosses as at 266 rise from the member 256 and will thenbe cylindrical recessed as defined inside the rim 260 thereof.

The removable base 252 consists of a pair of complementary sections eachsemi-circular in shape and which are indicated by the numerals 270 and272, these sections having dependent semi-circular rims of conicalconfiguration as at 274 and 276, respectively, which are adapted tooverlie and thus enclose the rim 260 of the permanent base.

The two sections of the removable base 270 and 272 are provided withsuitable apertures 278 which are also preferably countersunk and whichare adapted to register with the tubular bosses 266, as shown in FIGURE7.

The picket or marker component 254 consists of a vertically elongatedmember 280 of rubber or other resilient material and which as shownparticularly in FIG- URE 8 is noncircular, being indicated as cruciformin cross-section. The lower end of this member is provided with anannular enlargement or flange 282 which is likewise provided withapertures 284 therethrough, these apertures, as shown in FIGURE 7 beingof suflicient size to be receivable upon and to surround the upstandinginternal threaded bosses 266. Fasteners 236 are engaged through the lineapertures in the sections 270', 272, the apertures 284 and theinternally threaded bosses 266 to detachably connect these elementstogether.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the periphery of the annular member 282 at thelower end of the picket 280 is provided with an annular depending rib asat 290 which engaging upon the top surface of the member 256 isdeformably compressed between the lower surface of the sections 270, 272and the top surface of the member 256 to thereby establish a resilienttight engagement therebetween.

It will be observed that the sections 270, 272 are provided withradially extending slots 294 disposed opposite to each other togetherwith complementary recesses 2% which in turn define diametricallydisposed slots when the two sections are placed together and embracewith these slots the cruciform-shaped exterior of the member 280.

In this embodiment, the member 280 at its upper end is provided with acylindrical portion 3% in which is adapted to be disposed a disk-likemarker, sign or refiective member indicated generally by the numeral302. The member 302 may either be permanently attached within the hollowcylindrical interior surface 304 of the end 300 or may be detachablysecured therein in order to permit the interchangeability of the seriesof signs, markers or reflective surfaces as desired.

For this purpose, the member 300 as shown in FIG- URE 7 is provided withan integral diaphragm or partition 366 extending thereacross and at therim of this partition, upon each side thereof there is provided anannular or circumferentially extending channel or recess as at 308 and310, this channel being undercut, that is, of greater width at itsbottom surface than the width of the channel at the cylindrical surfaceof the member 3%. A pair of disks 312 and 314 of any suitable materialbut which preferably is of a transparent nature is then secured uponopposite sides of the partition 386 by engaging the peripheries of thesedisks in the previously mentioned channels 303 and 310 whereby the samewill be detachably but frictionally retained in position. Disposedbetween the disks 312 and 314 and the intermediate partition 366 aresheets or coatings of material as indicated at 3-16 and 318. The disks312 and 314 thus serve to cover and protect these coatings or sheetswhich latter may be of a light reflective material or paint and maycarry or constitute signs or visual markers or reflective surfaces asdesirable.

It is to be understood that the type of picket component 254 and thereflector construction 3*32 shown in FIG- URES 6-8 may be utilized inany of the preceding embodiments as desired.

may the utilized with the anchor member 212 omitted. The base 200 wouldthen be apertured and secured to the pavement by bolts or fasteners shotthrough the apertures into the pavement with a conventional concretegun.

It is to be understood that the feature of omitting the spike-1ikedepending anchor or stem and replacing this form of anchoring fastenerwith the apertured base plates and bolt-like fasteners securedtherethrough into the pavement may be employed in any of the embodimentsisclosed herein.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A highway marker comprising a base plate adapted to seat on apavement, means for fastening said base plate to said pavement, saidbase plate having a downwardly recessed top surface and a peripheralupstanding rim, a resilient vertically extending marker picket having adiametrically enlarged foot portion received in said recessed topsurface and within said rim, a top plate having an apertured top surfacethrough which said marker picket slidably extends and a dependingperipheral rim embracing said upstanding rim, an upstanding hollow bosson said base top surface within said upstanding rim, said foot portionhaving an aperture receiving said boss, a fastener engaging said topplate and said boss and passing through said aperture of said footportion for securing the former to said base.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said foot portion has a dependingperipheral rib resting upon the bottom of said recessed surface wherebyto support the bottom surface of said foot portion in spaced relation tosaid bottom of said recessed surface.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said top plate is a single unitarymember.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said top plate is sectional beingdivided along a vertical plane extending through said top surfaceaperture and said standard whereby to be removably engaged upon thelatter by lateral movement.

5. A highway marker comprising a base plate adapted to seat on apavement, means for fastening said base plate to said pavement, saidbase plate having a downwardly recessed top surface and a peripheralupstanding rim, a resilient vertically extending marker picket having adiametrically enlarged foot portion received in said recessed topsurface and within said rim, a top plate having an apertured top surfacethrough which said marker picket slidably extends and a dependingperipheral rim embracing said upstanding rim, an upstanding hollow bosson said base top surface Within said upstanding rim, a fastener engagingsaid top plate and said boss for securing the former to said base.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said foot portion has a dependingperipheral rib resting upon the bottom of said recessed surface wherebyto support the bottom surface of said foot portion in spaced relation tosaid bottom of said recessed surface.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said top plate is a single unitarymember.

8. The combination of claim 5 wherein said top plate is sectional beingdivided along a vertical plane extending through said top surfaceaperture and said standard whereby to be removablyengaged upon thelatter by lateral movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,266,152 Poole May 14, 1918 1,267,021 Watts May 21, 1918 1,337,947OToole Apr. 20, 1920 2,121,961 Gill June 28, 1938 2,229,075 Haggart Jan.21, 1941

5. A HIGHWAY MARKER COMPRISING A BASE PLATE ADAPTED TO SEAT ON APAVEMENT, MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID BASE PLATE TO SAID PAVEMENT, SAIDBASE PLATE HAVING A DOWNWARDLY RECESSED TOP SURFACE AND A PERIPHERALUPSTANDING RIM, A RESILIENT VERTICALLY EXTENDING MARKER PICKET HAVING ADIAMETRICALLY ENLARGED FOOT PORTION RECEIVED IN SAID RECESSED TOPSURFACE AND WITHIN SAID RIM, A TOP PLATE HAVING